Ryan eperiences life in the ER as Doctors save what's left of his mutilated penis.
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Ryan Wolffs Penile Transplant Part II As I would later learn, the only reason I had survived was that the maintenance guy was cleaning the ladies restroom next door, heard my screams and called 911. It must have been a horrific scene to see a kid passed out with his board shorts around his knees with a banded, bloody stump where his penis should have been. I dont know who this hero is, but Id like to thank him. I came to, in a scene right out of Trauma: Life in the ER, a show I always like to watch on TLC, except, I was the star on this episode. The fog in my mind began to clear as I surveyed the scene around me. There must have been at least a half dozen doctors and nurses working on me. I had IVs in both arms and a searing pain in my groin. I lifted my head just enough to see catheter poking out of my penis except there was no penis. It looked sort like bits of hamburger spilling out of a sausage casing. There were two clamps attached to the main arteries and veins that fed the penis, to stop any further blood loss. Ryan, can you hear me? I heard a voice call. I am Dr Rossi, Chief of Trauma and you are in the UCLA Trauma Center, OK? I thought to myself through the haze, why do they always say OK at the end of every sentence. Your mind comes up with weird stuff when youre in shock and on medication. It all seems very surreal. I could almost imagine the narrator saying Ryan Wolff had an awful day at the beach when he was found with his penis severed. He doesnt know it yet, but doctors wont be able to re-attach it, because it couldnt be found. Hell have to learn to adjust to a whole new life. As I snapped to reality again, Dr Rossi was explaining Ryan, theres gonna be a lot of people working you, OK? Youve been injured, OK? I managed an uh huh as he went on, Youve received a very serious injury to your genitals, OK? Again with the OK deal, I thought, as I faded in and out of consciousness, No, its not OK. Could I please have my dick back, OK? As I said, you have strange thoughts when your in a situation like that. Dr Rossi again, called my name Ryan, are you with us? After we get you stabilized, were going to be taking you to the OR to close your wounds, OK? Your Mother just arrived and I going to go let her know youre alright, OK? I managed to nod a yes as he asked me one of the most bizarre sounding questions a guy could ever hear. Ryan, he said, do you have any idea where your penis could be? We have to find it immediately if theres to be any hope of re-attachment, OK? I shook my head no as a sickening wave of nausea swept over me. Then, again, I lost consciousness. In this strange dream state I was in, I could again hear the narrator saying, because no one knows where the severed organ is, the best Ryan can hope for is that doctors will be able to repair whats left of his penis. Otherwise, the only choice will be is to perform a total penectomy, in which doctors would remove all remaining parts of Ryans organ and move the urethra to an opening in the perineum. This, of course, would mean that he would only be able to urinate in a sitting position. Funny, to this day, Im not sure what I really heard through the haze of the drugs and the parts my mind made up. It doesnt seem possible because I could swear I was awake and could hear what the doctors were saying the OR. Ive since learned that its not an uncommon occurrence. I couldnt move or speak, but somehow I seemed to know what was going on around me. Because of the unusual nature of what happened, the procedure was recorded as a teaching tool. For those interested in the surgical side of things, Ill include some quick highlights of the repair. Dr Eugene Gold, Head of UCLAs Urology department provided the descriptions. Dr Gold: The patient is a 15 year old white male named Ryan Wolff. He was brought to UCLA after being found unconscious in a public restroom. His penis has been amputated approximately 1 and 1/8th inches from the pubis. The cut appears clean, surgical in nature. A band was placed tightly around the base of the penile shaft. Above the band, the corpus cavernosum is displayed. MRI shows no damage to the internal penile structures. During this procedure, loose skin remaining on the penis will be used to cover the exposed corpus cavernosum and the urethra sewn to the skin flap to provide a path for voiding fluids. I will also employ a technique used normally for penis enlargement indications, where the suspensor ligaments will be dissected, allowing more of the penis to be exposed. Hopefully, this will cause the remaining penile shaft to allow urination while standing. After suturing is completed, an electro-stimulator will be introduced rectally to cause the auto- ejaculation of seminal fluid as test for any unseen blockage. Im told the surgery only lasted about an hour. As I came to in recovery I saw the face of a man I was later to learn belonged to Dr. Gold. We were to have a profound effect on one anothers lives. Ryan I heard through the haze, Your surgery is over, everything is fine, there were no complications. Thanks doctor, I managed sleepily. Dr. Gold leaned closer and said quietly I want you to get your rest. Your Mom will stop in for a moment. Ryan, you may not find this possible to understand now, but you were actually very fortunate. The paramedics told me there were two other incidents similar to yours today. One of the others wasnt so lucky, according to what I was told. One of the boys removed the band from the stump of his penis, passed out and expired due to massive blood loss. Wow, I thought through the haze, two other guys mutilated the same way. Id have to try to remember to ask who the survivor was. Maybe we could help each other. I drifted back in to the safe world of sleep where the world was still OK. To be continued in Part III